Hes Dan-tastic Sturridge heads home late winner as Three Lions finally break through Schmeichel's resistance

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Slow, slow, quick, quick, slow. If England are to get anywhere in Brazil, they have got to make better use of their attributes than this.
Near the end, there were three lively lads on the field: Raheem Sterling, the excellent Adam Lallana and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
It won the game. Lallana provided the cross that Daniel Sturridge headed in at the back post, the reward for pressure that had built as more pace was injected into England’s team.
A pity, then, that Roy Hodgson seems set on a team pattern that finds use for just one winger. 
Sterling was the only wide player to get a game from the start, with Wayne Rooney and Sturridge being asked to peel off to the flanks — and this lack of imagination showed.

Finally: Daniel Sturridge heads England ahead with eight minutes remaining at Wembley

: Sturridge wheels away after scoring the opening goal after 82 minutes

On form: The Liverpool striker scored his third senior England goal, and deserved more on the night

Together: The players celebrate a deserved lead in front of an expectant Wembley crowd

broken: Sturridge finally broke through Schmeichel's resistance after several attempts

Creator: England players go to congratulate Lallana after the Southampton winger's great cross

 

No way through: Leicester goalkeeper Schmeichel kept England out on several occasions at Wembley

Match facts

England: Hart 6, Johnson 6.5, Cahill 6.5, Smalling 6, Cole 6.5 (Shaw 46, 6.5), Wilshere 4.5 (Lallana 59, 6.5), Henderson 7 (Oxlade-Chamberlain 77, 5.5), Gerrard 7.5, Sterling 7 (Townsend 86), Rooney 6.5 (Welbeck 60, 6), Sturridge 7 (Milner 88).
Subs Not Used: Ruddy, Foster, Forster, Baines, Caulker, Carrick, Lampard, Barkley, Cleverley, Lambert, Defoe, Rodriguez.
Goals: Sturridge 82.
Denmark: Schmeichel 7, Sloth 6.5 (Zimling 62, 5), Agger 5.5, Kjaer 6.5 (Bjelland 62, 5.5), Peter Ankersen 5, Kvist Jorgensen 6, Jacobsen 5 (Juelsgaard 46, 5.5), Poulsen 6 (Olsen 81), Krohn-Delhi 6, Larsen 6 (Kusk 46, 5.5), Bendtner 6 (Rasmussen 62, 5.5).
Subs Not Used: Andersen, Lossl, Kahlenberg, Delaney, Jacob Ankersen, Makienok Christoffersen.
Booked: Sloth, Rasmussen.
Att: 68,573
Ref: Kevin Blom (Holland).
MOM: Steven Gerrard
*Player ratings by Sami Mokbel at Wembley

The first half was lifeless, listless, everything this England team should not be. As faster specimens appeared late on, so England became energised and better chances were created.
Too late for an emphatic win, but with enough time to squeak through and, more importantly, light the way forward. Will Hodgson see it that way? He was on the brink of going out at the qualifying stage before he gambled on Andros Townsend.
Here it was Lallana who changed the game, the Southampton man looking an increasingly obvious starter for Brazil.
Sterling’s international debut was a mixed bag — he missed a good chance but worked hard — although it would have been better to see him with the freedom he is given at Liverpool.
England could have won by more. Danny Welbeck had two good chances coming on as substitute but was denied by Danish goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel both times — but it was perhaps for the best.
If Hodgson needs a prod to gamble in Brazil, this should be it. England do not have the wit to play canny, a less cautious approach is the best hope.
Only when they turned it into a race on Wednesday night did the difference in the teams show.